


Of Friends And Fights

by katherinewilliams221b



Series: 1995-1996 [1]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling, Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery (Video Game)
Genre: Book 5: Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Friendship, Gen, Other
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-05
Updated: 2020-08-05
Packaged: 2021-03-05 20:14:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,595
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25731187
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/katherinewilliams221b/pseuds/katherinewilliams221b
Summary: After Harry joins the Order in the Noble and Most Ancient House of Black, he gets to interact with Kate and listen to her advice. We also learn a little about Kate’s family.
Series: 1995-1996 [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1866469
Kudos: 12





	Of Friends And Fights

**Author's Note:**

> Kind of out of character Tonks and Harry because this is the first time I write him. Well everybody is just ooc because, Molly, we’re all tense and that’s normal.

“Let’s play a game; you grab one of the little flasks you keep under your robes, chug one down and leave. You can even choose which one.”

Snape had gone too far. Bringing Jacob into the conversation was uncalled for and out of line. Kate thought that she was being unreasonable and had promised herself and Charlie that she would control her emotions in front of the Order. It was unavoidable to slip Jacob’s name into the conversation. Well, I can’t stop the storm now.

Molly gasped loudly and shoved her towel on the table. “Katherine!” The room was silent for a brief second, enough time to let all the tension explode.

“You are blinded by your anger and resentment…”

“You don’t know anything about me, Lupin!”

“Hey!” Protested Tonks, which triggered a round of indiscernible fighting.

“Stop shouting, you are going to wake up the children!” The room fell silent again, leaving Kate and Tonks breathing heavily and staring defiantly into each other’s eyes.

Kate turned to Sirius who hadn’t participated in the exchange. “I’d rather be yelled at by your mother’s portrait that keeping up with this meeting.” Sirius just grimaced in acknowledgement. Snape stood up and for a moment Kate thought that he might do something other than speak. In response, she stood up too.

“That would be quite convenient,” everybody turned to him “I’m still not quite sure why Dumbledore let such an irresponsible and problematic child take any kind of task that could be considered of importance.”

She was still thinking about how to reply when the proverbial bell saved her.

“Severus.” Said the unmistakable voice of Albus Dumbledore. She didn’t need to turn around and wouldn’t. Great. Just, great. “May I speak with you?”

Snape stole one last disgusted glance at Kate and swished his tunic out of the kitchen. When the sound of steps faded, Kate deflated visibly.

“I didn’t expect this kind of behaviour from you, Kate. I’m very disappointed.” Mrs Weasley scolded.

“Now, Molly, we are just all very tense and, that’s understandable.” Arthur tried to reason.

Kate looked up from the wooden table to Lupin. She was about to apologise for shouting at him when Tonks spoke.

“Maybe she could help cleaning the place to relax, you know, because she hasn’t moved a finger…” Kate snapped her head up at her best friend’s comment.

“I arrived two hours ago! May I remind you that I live a thousand miles away from here? Literally!” She paused and added whispering “And don’t talk about me like I’m not in front of your face! What’s gotten into you?”

“Oh, I don’t know, maybe you? We’ve never had any problems until you came around. It’s always like that with you.”

“Say that again but with more conviction.”

Silence filled the air again. No one dared to look at each other.

“What a quiet reunion…” Dumbledore and Snape re-entered the room and they all forced themselves to look at the bearded man. “We are already heading into a war, the last thing we need is fighting with each other.” The gentle tone of his voice made Kate shudder with suspicion. She sighed mentally.

Suddenly, her head felt like it was being pressed between two bricks. She frowned and turned around looking at Dumbledore, searching for any sign that…no. It’s not him. Vivid images of his brother were swirling around, mixing with memories of Charlie, her grandparents’ house, Tonks cutting her hair, she trying to ride a bicycle. Her mind stopped at a conversation with Dumbledore, where she’d just joined the Order, not long ago.

She turned abruptly to Snape, not noticing the odd looks the rest were giving her.

“Enough.”

“You are weak.”

“Just because I don’t want to get into people’s minds doesn’t mean I’m weak.”

“Yes, it does. And the Dark Lord won’t hesitate in doing so with you.”

“Have you been dreaming of Jacob lately?” Dumbledore asked solemnly.

“I…yes. But that’s not special. I often dream about him.”

“But now they’re different.” He didn’t ask. “More, violent. Can you distinguish the dream and the memory?” Realisation hit her and she let her mouth hang open. “I respected your decision when you refused training, but now we must act accordingly to the situation. Professor Snape accepted to teach you…”

“And I kindly refuse again…” she interrupted, and Dumbledore raised a hand at chest level.

“To teach you for the rest of the summer before classes start.”

Kate sighed and moved her gaze to Snape, then the rest of the room. Everyone was staring at her except for Tonks.

“Katie, dear, are you…are you a legilimens?” asked Molly “Why didn’t you tell us?”

“I knew.” Interrupted Tonks without lifting her gaze from the table. Kate shifted uncomfortably and sat on the chair in front of her. “We found out at Hogwarts.”

“We? Who is we?” asked Arthur.

“Only a few people know; Charlie, Rowan, Penny and me.”

Molly turned to Kate. Her expression blank but, Kate could notice the fear and suspicion. “But can you actually…?

“No. No, I can’t read your mind. I just…kind of…It’s hard to explain.” She grabbed her necklace and started toying with it. “It’s more of a feeling, a sensation, I perceive other people’s energy. It gets really loud sometimes. I really thought it happened to everybody until Dumbledore explained it to me.”

“Some people are born with that predisposition but, it’s an ability that can be learnt, and trained.” He scanned the room and looked at everyone in the eye before adding cheerfully, “Well, I must go now. Arthur, you wouldn’t mind accompanying Harry to the hearing, right?” 

Mr Weasley cleared his throat. “Of course, of course. I’ll make sure everything goes smoothly.” 

“I’ll join you if you don’t mind. As Snuffles, of course.” Added Sirius.

Dumbledore looked at him but said nothing. Kate could see in his eyes that he didn’t approve of that decision, but he remained silent. “Alright then,” he turned to Snape “Severus, you might start as soon as possible.”

Snape gave a short nod and left after Dumbledore.

Kate hesitated for a moment and ran after him. She couldn’t stop thinking about Harry. The hearing was in two days.

“Wait!”

Dumbledore turned and stared at her with smirking eyes.

“Have you told him?”

“I’m afraid I don’t know what you mean.”

“Yes, you do. Harry. Have you told him what’s going on and what do we do?”

“I believe Harry is been filled in the essentials of the Order.”

“Yes, but you haven’t talked with him. For some reason he is very important, you know why, and he needs to know as well. You can’t skip parts of the truth

“When the time is right, everything will fall into place.”

I’m going to punch him in the face. Kate thought just as a shimmer lit his eyes, but she couldn’t recognize what it was. “Professor Snape will give you the first lesson tomorrow.”

“And it will be the last one. I must go back to Romania in two days”

“That won’t be a problem. You will continue with the lessons from there.” He suddenly remembered something “Oh, and would you ask Mr Weasley to bring some brandy from Transylvania? But the Muggle one; it has a different taste.”

Kate didn’t make any more comments about the topic, but the idea of having Snape constantly in her head wasn’t amusing in the slightest. That thought created another wave of problems. She nodded, vaguely registering that he was talking about Charlie.

“Do you think Voldemort was getting into my mind?” Dumbledore pretended to think about an answer.

“It is probable, yes. In my opinion, someone told him about you.”

“What’s there to tell?”

“Well, you participated in quite a scandal back at Hogwarts, you know teachers and aurors, both of your parents are involved in international affairs and you are related to important Ministry’s figures. You certainly could be an inconvenience.” Kate’s worried look increased as he spoke, ending in her staring at a stain on the carpet with a deep frown. “The question is not what, but who. I’m sure that with a few of Professor Snape’s lessons you will have nothing to worry about.”

Dumbledore’s voice brought her back to the present. She didn’t have time to respond when she saw him disappear into the air.

She turned around with a heavy sigh and found Remus leaning on the door frame to the kitchen.

“I am angry. And scared” Remus looked down and nodded slowly. “I don’t blame you for that.”

“I think I need some sleep.” She passed him and climbed a few steps. “I’m sorry I shouted at you.”

“Forgotten.” Remus forced half a smile and she nodded before making her way to the bedroom.

The next day, Kate found herself cleaning the doxys out one of the top rooms in the house. Lupin kindly suggested Tonks could help her.

“You have no idea what’s been like working as an auror these days. Everybody is asking funny questions, I don’t trust any of those potential traitors anymore, just Moody.”

“At least you didn’t have to quit your job…” Tonks snapped her head towards her. “What did you expect? That my boss was going to wait for me while I ran around Europe? I resigned as soon as Dumbledore told me what my mission was.”

“And what’s that exactly?” Kate noticed the tone she used had warmed up a bit.

“Fulfil my father’s dream of becoming a Ministry’s employee.” She said rolling her eyes. “I have to go to Albania…”

“You what?! Are you out of your mind?”

“I need to schedule a reunion with the Minister of Albania and unless I have an appointment, signed and approved by multiple old men with black robes it is absolutely impossible. And of course, no one would believe Voldemort is back and that he’d been hiding in their forests for a long time. Pass me that thing” She added pointing to the black spray on a table.

“How do you pretend to get that signed?”

“I don’t. That would take months, even years. I’m here to…to talk with my father. Alright, here we go, cover you nose.” They both covered their noses and mouths and Kate sprayed the curtain were a few doxys were clinging onto. When four doxys fell to the floor unconscious, Tonks quirked an eyebrow and let out a disbelieving laugh. “Wow. How long is it been?”

“Face to face? A while. We owl each other more often than you imagine.” Kate stopped spraying the curtains and looked out of the window. “Honestly, I’m a bit scared. After all these years we’ve never discussed…well, Jacob. And that’s something that will come out sooner or later. I’m not sure if I’m prepared for that.” She grabbed a bag near the window and carefully put the fallen doxys into it.

“What about your mom?”

“What about her?”

“Are you going to see her?”

“I don’t even know where she is. Probably photographing some weird disaster in Asia or America…” Kate laughed ironically and tied the bag.

“Why don’t you tell her to make the Prophet stop talking about Harry?”

“She is just a columnist, she doesn’t have that power and it would start a waterfall of questions: Why are you asking? Do you know something? Do you have a secret source? It’s too risky.” Tonks buffed “Remus was right.”

“Alright,” Kate left the spray and the bag on the floor and rose quickly. “let’s have at it. What have I done to you, hm?”

Tonks shook her head and resumed cleaning the big stain on the wall. “Remus said that you were angry at Dumbledore because of what happened at Hogwarts and that you would disagree with every decision. That you could interfere with the Order. And you know what? He is right, you tend to put everyone in trouble.”

“I think you inhaled too much of this bundimun secretion.” She tapped the spray on the floor with her foot making it tumble. “Listen, I won't deny that I’d prefer to work with anyone but him, but I quitted my job, put my project on hold and declined a program to become a mediwizard for a cause that is bigger than me, Dumbledore or anyone, and since when do you listen to what a person you barely know says about me? Thank you for being on my side…” she spat sarcastically.

“I’m always on your side, you’re my best friend!”

“Then why are you bein’ such a scutterin’ gobshite!?”

They went silent and looked at each other until Tonks snorted, blowing her hair up a little. When she started laughing, Kate couldn’t help but tag along.

“Bloody hell, never heard you talk like that! Please, Master, teach me!” She bowed comically.

“My grandfather has taught me all he knows, he has a whole repertoire on those.”

Their laughs died down and Kate saw on her face the same look she sees in Charlie when he doesn’t know how to tell her something she might not like.

“Seriously, though, what’s going on?” Tonks sighed suddenly very interested in a loose nail on the wooden floor.

“I don’t really know what’s gotten into me…last night when you…when you shouted at Remus, I wanted to slap you.” She bit her thumbnail but didn’t look up. “It surprised even me.”

Kate moved closer to her and sought her gaze. “Tonks, do you…do you fancy the guy?” She whispered.

Tonks closed her eyes tightly and scrunched her nose. “Perhaps…”

“Oh, Merlin!” Kate squealed making Tonks launch herself to her and covering her mouth.

“Shut it, will you? It’s no big deal, I just think he is nice.”

“Yeah, no big deal…” Kate threw her a brilliant smile and Tonks reciprocated.

“You know, you don’t have to act like an idiot if you like someone.”

Tonks pushed her shoulder playfully. “Oh, come on, you can be… I was afraid that you…”

“Wouldn’t like him? Alright, I deserve that, but were you actually afraid of what I would think or afraid I would embarrass you? I have some interesting stories I’m sure he’d like”

Tonks quirked a brow and shook her head smiling. “Little bit of both. And don’t forget I have a lot of material about you, too. No, but honestly…” Now turning more serious “he…”

“I know a werewolf when I see one, Nym.” She didn’t know how to address the topic and it seemed the perfect opportunity. Tonks’ look of surprise was expected. “And don’t worry, I won’t tell anyone about it. Neither of both things.”

“Come ‘ere ye’ gobshite.” They laughed and hugged each other until they heard a knock on the door.

Harry Potter’s head appeared from behind the door. “Uh…Mrs Weasley asked me to help with the Doxys…”

“Thank Merlin! I’m going to wax my comet.” She said opening the door for Harry to enter.

“You can’t even clean the floor with that thing, buy a Nimbus already!” Tonks scrunched her nose and her face transformed into an exact copy of Kate’s face. “Look, I’m Kate, I don’t know the first thing about flying or broomsticks, but I won’t hesitate in giving you advice.” Kate rolled her eyes and looked at Harry shaking her head. He half smiled uncomfortably.

Once Tonks was out of sight, she was left with a shifting Harry. She stared at him while he looked around the room nervously, his gaze stopping at the shaking closet.

“You are free to go, if you want to. I won’t tell Molly. There’s a bunch of them in the closet and I think a queen too, those are hard to jinx.” She offered trying to ease his mind.

“No, I… I’ve got rid of doxys already, downstairs.” He walked to the other side of the room and grabbed the spray that lay on the floor. “Let’s do this.” Kate nodded, grabbed a leather collar from the table and put it around her neck. “Queens are particularly aggressive and more venomous, you should put one too. Necks are sensitive.” He put it on, nodded again and covered his nose before pointing at the closet with the spray.

“When I open the closet, I’m going to jink them to stop them from flying away and as soon as I do that you empty the entire thing on them, okay?”

“I’m ready.”

–

Two bags filled with doxys later, Harry and Kate sat awkwardly on the couch beside the window. Kate broke the silence and shifted her body to look at him. “So, what did you want to tell me?” Harry looked at her with big eyes. “How did you know…”

“We finished a while ago and you didn’t try to escape.” She laughed getting rid of some of the tension in the air. “And you just confirmed it.” Harry sighed and put his hand on his knees staring at the bag of doxys.

“Ron suggested that I could talk to you. He said that…that you would understand what I…? Honestly, I don’t need a therapist.”

Kate looked down and processed what she’s just been told. “Luckily for you I just heal bodies, not minds. How much do you know about me, Harry?”

“Not much, uh…just that you were famous around Hogwarts, and that there’s a picture of you in the duelling club room. Hermione knows more about you than anyone, probably.”

“I guess we have that in common: we were famous before entering Hogwarts and we didn’t want it.” Harry nodded and looked at her. “What exactly did you do?”

“Me? Nothing! Well not nothing, at first nothing but then…” she chuckled, and it was contagious, so Harry followed. “My brother went missing looking for some secret vaults in the castle. Naturally I started looking for him, broke several rules per year and almost killed everybody near me. By accident, I swear! For some reason no one liked that.” She raised her hand to her chest promising she was telling the truth and she laughed.

“How did you cope with that?”

“I mostly didn’t.” She said in a funny way that made Harry wonder how bad of a time she had. “I guess I tried to keep my mind always busy. Studying, practising duelling, I didn’t sleep much anyway, so…”

“What happened to your brother?” The question made her take a deep breath. “Can’t you guess?”

Harry nodded and murmured an apology. “In a deep, deep part of my mind, I knew how it was going to end. To accept that was the difficult part.”

“How did your friends take all of that?”

Kate grimaced and tilted her head. “We had our ups and downs.” She knew what this was coming from. “Last year was mostly a down for you, huh?” Harry nodded in a ‘Don’t I know it’ manner. “Last year, and the year before that and every year. I didn’t ask for this. I don’t want it. I don’t want people whispering behind my back, my own friends whispering behind my back! And no one, ever, tells me what’s happening. Not even Dumbledore.”

Especially Dumbledore. She thought. “Don’t rely on Dumbledore for everything, Harry.”

“Do you think he’ll help me at the hearing?”

“Oh, I’m sure he will.” Something in her tone made Harry not be as relieved as he expected to be. Kate noticed this and rectified, “Harry, you must understand that Dumbledore is…team Dumbledore. He keeps secrets, that’s what he does…”

“He is a good man.”

“I’m not saying he is a bad man. It’s just…there’s a reason behind everything he does, and we, simple mortals, will never know what those reasons are.”

His silence let her know it was a dead end, so she resumed a previous topic.

“You can fight with them every day, Harry, but they will be there for you just as you for them. I know that. It is difficult to…transmit something that is important to you and they don’t seem to understand, and they never will, because it’s not happening to them. That doesn’t mean they can’t help you.” She laughed sarcastically and pointed at the door with her thumb. “Tonks here, I would die for her, but sometimes I just want to strangle her.” When their chuckles died down Kate put a hand on Harry’s shoulder and squeezed. “You are doing great, Harry. I want you to know that, well, we barely know each other, and I know you’d prefer to stay here, with Sirius…but you will always have a safe place in Romania if you ever want to escape for a while.” Harry nodded in gratitude and Kate smiled trying to lighten the mood.

“And remember: keep your friends close.” She stood up and grabbed the bags. “That’s what kept me sane.” She thought about that sentence again. “Well, moderately sane.” Harry smiled and stood up as well, opening the door for her. When she was almost halfway down the stairs he said from above: “Flitwick says you could be the best duellist of the century.”

She smirked and lifted her chin defiantly. “What? You want to see if it’s true?”

“I want to see if I can replace your picture with mine.”

She laughed and climbed the last steps down the stairs. “I’d like to see you try.”

“Hey, Kate!” he shouted before she disappeared around the corner “Thank you.”

Kate nodded knowing he wasn’t talking about a potential duelling lesson

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or any of the characters that belong to the saga.


End file.
